The Communist Party of Poland (KPP) took part in commemorative events marking the 25th anniversary of the death of Edward Gierek, former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR), reaffirming the legacy of socialist Poland in a country where anti-communism has become official state doctrine.

Hundreds of people gathered at Gierek’s grave in Sosnowiec on July 25 to pay tribute to the leader whose decade in office was associated with rapid industrialization, major infrastructure projects and significant social progress. The commemoration was followed by a conference in Dąbrowa Górnicza examining Gierek’s political and economic legacy.

Speakers sharply criticized the official historical narrative promoted by Poland’s authorities, particularly the role of the reactionary Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), accusing it of systematically distorting the history of the People’s Republic of Poland. It was stressed that millions of Poles still live in homes, attend schools and rely on infrastructure built during the Gierek era, despite relentless efforts to portray socialist Poland as a “black hole” in the nation’s history.

Participants also highlighted the destructive consequences of the capitalist restoration that followed the counterrevolution, arguing that much of the country’s industrial base—built through decades of socialist development—was dismantled or sold off at a fraction of its value during the privatization drive of the 1990s.

The discussion also contrasted the cooperative economy and industrial independence of the 1970s with today’s Poland, which was described as increasingly dependent on Western capital and subordinated to the interests of the European Union and the United States.

The event stood as a rare but significant expression of historical memory and political resistance in contemporary Poland, where far-right nationalism and militant anti-communism dominate public life, communist symbols are criminalized, and communists continue to face persecution for defending the achievements of socialist Poland. Against this hostile backdrop, the KPP and other progressive forces continue to challenge the prevailing anti-communist consensus and preserve the historical legacy of the People’s Republic of Poland.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMUNISM©

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